Uncertainty surrounding the gasoline supply in and around The Villages was fueling anxiety ahead of the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Dorian.
The RaceTrac gas station on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 in Lady Lake was completely out of gasoline at 7 a.m. Friday, although it still had diesel fuel.
Tempers had flared among customers at the Wawa station at U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and County Road 466 in Lady Lake, but in an effort to restore order, Wawa employees donned reflective vests and began directing traffic.
At about lunchtime Friday, two large fuel tankers were a welcome site when they arrived at Sam’s Club on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 in Lady Lake, where customers had formed a long line.
The Marathon station at Lake Deaton Plaza on State Road 44 was out of gasoline on Friday afternoon.
The Sunoco gas station on Main Street in Wildwood was out of gasoline and diesel fuel on Friday evening.
Prices for a gallon of gasoline were hovering at or around $2.39 at most stations in the area.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Ashley Moody has extended Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline for consumers in all 67 Florida counties.
“The state of emergency has been extended to include all 67 counties in Florida in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian. You should be taking steps now to ensure you are prepared for the storm and the possibility of days without electricity. I have extended Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline to all 67 counties in an effort to prevent gouging, so Floridians can afford essential items now. Please report gouging to my office by calling (866) 9NO-SCAM or download our new reporting app—NO SCAM,” Moody said.
